Effect of Pre-sowing Seed Treatments on Drought Tolerance of Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Seedlings

Abstract

Drought is an important environmental constraint limiting the productivity of many crops worldwide. Seedling tolerance to drought is crucial for crop growth and development under water limited conditions. Therefore, it is needed to increase drought tolerance of rice by genetic improvements and cultivation techniques. Priming of plant seeds is easy, low cost, low risk and effective approach to enhance plant tolerance to the stressful environments. In this study various organic and inorganic treatments (coconut water, fermented milk water, fermented rice water, Ascorbic acid, KC1, KNO3, ZnSCU, CaCl2)were used to investigate growth and development of rice seedlings under water stress conditions induced by manitol. Out of different solvents used, 2% KNO3 showed greatest performances under water stress conditions by exhibiting higher plant height, root volume and dry weight than the hydroprime seeds (control). Fermented rice water also significantly increased plant height and root volume under water stressed conditions but shoot dry weight did not show significant difference compared to hydroprimed seeds. Results showed that seed priming methods used in this study can establish more drought tolerant rice seedlings, however seedling survival and yield performances under field level should be investigated.